Singing Loudly

Last Words

2009-09-20T16:00:00.001-05:00

In a New York Times op-ed, a writer has complied a lot of the last words from inmates on execution day in Texas. They are compiled into a sort of an epic poem.

State Fairs are Good for Something

2009-09-06T19:48:00.003-05:00

I like that Al Franken is able to turn a situation that could have become very ugly into a productive explanation of insurance reforms. He makes sure everyone understands the options that are out there and the good/bad of the options.

The Day After

2009-06-26T10:22:00.004-05:00

Thriller ought to be number one.

Search Engines

2009-06-09T22:26:00.002-05:00

Ok, so, as people who have read this blog know, I am not the biggest fan of just using one search engine. I think that Google is great, but I've also advocated using others. Now I'd like to suggest using Bing. I think the name is halfway to stupid, but I like the way it works. Pretty awesome front page with the changing pictures that have little factoids. And the preview stuff helps me to not waste time by hitting the wrong site.

Decoration Day

2009-05-25T17:11:00.001-05:00

French Misery (or Cinco de Mayo is woefully misunderstood)

2009-05-05T22:42:00.002-05:00

I've now heard a handful of, no doubt, loyal patriots talking about how they won't celebrate Mexico winning independence on Cinco de Mayo until they celebrate the 4th of July. Interesting argument because it shows how very, very, very little people know about world history.

Perhaps that is more pronounces with xenophobes, racists, and the like? I dunno, but I can't remember a time that I ever assumed that Cinco de Mayo was about independence. Independence for Mexico is a fascinating part of Mexican history and world history but it's not what Cinco de Mayo is about.

Cinco de Mayo is about something that many of these handful of people might savor: the defeat of the French. You hated the French so much that you wouldn't even allow a disgustingly grotesque fattening food to be called French anymore. You had to call them Freedom Fries as you shoved them down your mouth. Wondering why your pant size recently increased from a 40 to a 42. It's not because you hate the French!

Yes, Cinco de Mayo is about the Mexican army defeating the French in the Battle of Puebla. Most Americans don't go out and celebrate Mexican Independence but we do love to drink some cerveza and margaritas on 5/5 each year.

Perhaps as you down a beer and your Freedom Fries you can think of how much you hate the French in addition to Hispanics?

Are they Kidding?

2009-04-27T22:40:00.003-05:00

Perhaps I'm a little stupid, but I am very surprised that anyone doesn't realize that Colbert is not being serious on his show. That's the whole point of why it's funny. A study shows that many conservatives don't get the joke. I wonder if just as large a group of liberals are angry with him?

Minutes Before Six

2009-04-12T22:03:00.002-05:00

I'd be a little remise if I didn't point out that a Texas Death Row Inmate has been posting at a blog called "Minutes Before Six." While Texas inmates are not able to use the internet for things like making blogs (I'm not sure if any of the positions they could work have internet access attached) -- they certainly can send mail with handwritten posts to approved contacts.

Anyhow, take a look at it. If you enjoy it, I would encourage you to contribute (as he requests) to his commissary fund. That'll make his day just as he gave some knowledge and information to yours. Either way, I think it's funny his favorite color is gray as that's what the guards are called.

Nevermore

2009-03-27T11:31:00.002-05:00

Being an English major, I had to get this t-shirt from tshirt.woot.com.

Campers and Arsonists

2009-03-26T22:23:00.003-05:00

If you are needing some sparks to make the perfect fire look no further than the Swedish FireSteel. This stuff makes starting a fire a breeze. I love camping but hate taking out a bunch of matches to try to get the thing going. This solves that problem quite well.

Case Trying

2009-03-23T22:39:00.000-05:00

So after sitting for a couple days on a case it ended up with a plea bargain agreement. The judge sort of forced it because he didn't want to make a decision in this bench trial. He knew it was a close call and probably didn't want to say not guilty. He also knew that my client didn't deserve 25 years for possession of pot, which was the minimum.

Instead we worked out a plea for 2 years. This beat the previous offer by 6 years and beat the minimum by 23 years. However, it lost to a not guilty by 2 years.

Oh well.

Too Many Criminal Defense Lawyers?

2009-02-16T22:17:00.002-06:00

It's probably true that there are too many lawyers in the United States. Universities are quick to add a law school to their hallowed halls as a way to generate income. Too many people either go to law school because they can't think of anything better to do or because they don't really know what a lawyer does and nothing else was working out for them.

Then there are also far too many lawyers in those shiny buildings downtown reviewing documents and wasting space. Most of those people made good grades at law school and were lured into the positions by salaries that were difficult to resist. Now it's become clear that the salaries were far too high to give to lawyers who are basically copy editors. The layoffs are coming and many people used to making 100Ks are going to be looking for new jobs. Out of necessity, a few will soon hang their shingles to become criminal defense attorneys. But before us criminal defense attorneys fly off the handle in fear let's think about this for a few minutes.

1st: We don't earn that much money. This is certainly true compared to what even a first year associate at a shiny big building downtown makes. Those who are laid off are going to be suffering because of their debt. They will have the law school debt, the new car debt, the new house debt, the new dogs debt, the jewelry debt, the country club debt, etc. The lifestyle that went with being a biglaw lawyer is hard to give up. It is certainly not one a criminal defense attorney either cares about or can afford.

2nd: They are biglaw lawyers. They don't know anything about criminal law and probably don't care to know. You are a criminal defense attorney. You know how to communicate with your client, you know what deals to expect from all the prosecutors you deal with day in and day out, you know what the judges will be like, and, perhaps most importantly, you enjoy that. The biglaw lawyer doesn't care and is afraid of the courtroom.

3rd: You have the upperhand. Get out there an educate your clients and potential clients not to be persuaded by someone who is just doing this until the biglaw firms are hiring again. You can always be proactive.

It Wasn't Me

2009-02-06T23:20:00.003-06:00

It's too bad that faulty and flawed eyewitness lineups are used to convict people. Sometimes those lineups get the right person, but they also are the basis for convictions of innocent people. Texas is one place where we are seeing it with cases like that of Texas Tech student Tim Cole. He was convicted of sexual assault and spent 14 years in prison until he died of asthma.

Now let's just ignore that the Texas Department of Criminal Justice should not have inmates dying of asthma. They shouldn't be imprisoning innocent men. Sadly, the DA has said things like it doesn't really matter because he died anyhow. Thankfully Judge Baird has allowed his conviction to be exonerated posthumously.

Empty, Vacant

2009-01-25T22:17:00.001-06:00

When city inspectors toured some of Dallas's downtown vacant buildings, armed with search warrants, this is what they found. Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert announced details of the city's Downtown Vacant Building Initiative Tuesday. Photos courtesy the City of Dallas.

Problems with Prosecutors

2009-01-23T22:38:00.002-06:00

Over at the Matlock Blog, there is a guest post written by an anonymous Tarrant County Assistant District Attorney. The post propurts to list ten things he or she hates about certain defense attorneys.

I think that I get the joke. This was really written by a defense attorney about ADA's, right? Almost every single item in the list applies to a healthy minority of the DAs I've had the pleasure of working with. On the contrary, it isn't nearly as common to see those traits in career defense attorneys.

Not Really Downsizing

2009-01-15T23:19:00.003-06:00

I find it interesting that the director of the Texas Youth Commission (basically juvenile hall/youth prison/whatever you want to call it) is afraid of using the word downsizing. Instead she says, in an email sent to her entire staff, that the agency is "right-sizing." What a crappy word...

"Today, I am releasing the second phase of our agency right-sizing efforts. As we have been discussing, it is necessary to adjust our workforce to reflect the agency's reduced youth population and our current appropriations. It is important to note that throughout our right-sizing efforts, we have maintained our commitment to best practice workloads and staffing ratios for juvenile justice and specialized treatment in our staffing plan."

Right-sizing is the wave of the future.

Source: Grits for Breakfast.

Row vs Wade

2009-01-13T06:12:00.001-06:00

This shirt is pretty fantastic. As of the time I posted this, you could still buy one for $15.

Curiousity

2009-01-11T23:02:00.003-06:00

Why is it that the Golden Globes gives an award for the best foreign film? Isn't this specific awards put on by the Hollywood Foreign Press? I think it's time for a name change as movies aren't just made in or by Hollywood.

Keeping Resolutions

2009-01-05T22:36:00.002-06:00

I imagine there are many people out there who'd be better for their resolutions if only they could be a little more like Steve Jobs. A hormone imbalance has caused him to rapidly lose weight. Of course, you have to eat the crust with that pie and with pancreatic cancer, I think I'd pass.

The Ultimate Fighter

2008-12-17T23:54:00.003-06:00

I just got around to watching the Ultimate Fighter Championship Finale. Needless to say, I am more than thrilled to see Ryan Bader win his fight. I think that guy has what it takes to go the distance in UFC. He has a good head on his shoulder, he's calm, and he knows how to fight with a good mixture of stand up and wrestling.

I'm not sure about my thoughts on the foil of Bader, Junie Browning, winning. He looked a heck of a lot better than he ever did on the show. I never once thought the guy was devoid of talent but he looked pretty damn good on the the finale. I think this guy also has what it takes to be a contender in his weight class. I hope that other UFC fighters are looking out for Browning.

Finally, I was unhappy when Nover lost his fight. I think he's the better fighter overall but just messed it up at the finale. I look forward to seeing more of him in the future.

2 Cases Set, Nothing Goes

2008-12-11T06:13:00.002-06:00

Many times a Judge will make you go forward on a case that you are not really ready to defend. Sometimes the judge will do the same to the prosecutor (not as often). But it's not uncommon for a defense attorney to have a case (or in my situation, two cases) ready for trial and both to fall through. Double the chances of that when the state has a lot of doubt in their case.

Monday I went for a docket and announced ready on a couple cases. Then I received a few exculpatory statements from the prosecutor. Hmm. She says one of the witnesses is on his way but she just found the statements this weekend. My question about that being the witness is a prison inmate 500 miles away. She'd have to have ordered him for trial a week ago (at least). The other exculpatory witnesses are unavailable.

I tell her that I'm going to request a continuance and I throw in there that her complainant is going to balk on the stand. She asks to bring my two clients back Tuesday. The Judge allows that. On Tuesday she dismisses. The judge resets my other client until a much later date.

That's life when you have winnable cases. Next month I'm sure I'll have to go on some cases that could use a little help.

Nothing this Week

2008-12-09T23:09:00.000-06:00

I had two felony trials on the docket for Monday. Neither of those will end up going. It took a couple of days of haggling in the court but the clients won out. Both sort of threw me under the bus. One, I should add, got a dismissal thanks in part to my diligence. The other has a great case. Both were upset and worried about their trials. Both will have to face those fears at a later date...much to my dismay.

Hillary Clinton Unconstitutional?

2008-12-02T23:31:00.001-06:00

Larry Tribe makes an interesting argument that a textualist interpretation of the Constitution could spell bad news for H. Clinton.

The claim is such:

The Emoluments Clause unambiguously precludes the appointment of any "Senator or Representative . . . , during the Time for which [s]he was elected, . . . to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been encreased during such time . . . . ," a prohibition that those who advocate this view assert manifestly covers the appointment of Senator Hillary Clinton inasmuch as the salary fixed for the Office of Secretary of State was indeed increased by an Executive Order promulgated in January 2008, during the "Time for which [s]he was elected."

Tribe ultimately concludes that her appointment would not be unconstitutional.

It's been awhile

2008-12-02T23:28:00.001-06:00

Alright, so, I don't intend on letting it go on a month before updates. 12 updates a year just isn't enough. I just got a little swamped. Next week I will be in trial. This week I am preparing. Then all that Christmas stuff is coming up. But everything is good.

Radiohead Remix for Obama

2008-11-07T12:51:00.001-06:00

Thom Yorke posted a remix of Harrowdown Hill in part to celebrate the dawn of a new era in American politics.

Mountain Bikers Rejoice?

2008-10-28T22:13:00.002-05:00

It looks like President Bush is trying to make it easier for the National Parks to allow mountain bikers on trails inside the parks. As a mountain biker, I think that's a little exciting. But there is certainly some concern because there isn't anything like a bike (non-motorized, anyhow) that'll tear up a trail quicker. Guess that we'll wait and see what happens.

Those Republicans

2008-10-27T23:43:00.001-05:00

And you thought your local sex offender list was scary? Be wary of your local Republicans in office...

http://www.republicanoffenders.com/

Especially look at all the corruption and pedophilia. Sick.

Netflix and Bluray

2008-10-09T23:35:00.001-05:00

If you have a Bluray disc player you'll need to be ready to spend an extra buck a month if you use netflix to give you movies. They decided that they would raise the subscription price by one dollar for people who use their bluray discs. I understand that bluray discs cost a little more but I'm not sure if it warrants a dollar more per person.

We Aren't Friends

2008-10-08T06:12:00.003-05:00

thanks for making it, Powazek.

Vote for Palin...

2008-09-29T23:46:00.003-05:00

Quoting the Presidential Candidates

2008-09-23T23:04:00.001-05:00

Google has gone out of their way to assist us in finding quotes from the Presidential candidates. This will allow you to not only see what they say but to compare different candidates against each other with keywords you have searched for. Fantastic! It's from Google Labs and it's called "In Quotes."

Could Capitalism Still Work?

2008-09-23T06:01:00.003-05:00

Economist Steven Landsburg, writing for the Atlantic Monthly, presents a good argument that the proposed $700 billion bailout doesn't need to happen. In fact, it shouldn't happen:

What's clear is that a bunch of financial institutions have made mistakes and lost money. What's unclear is why anyone (other than the owners and managers) should care. People make mistakes and lose money all the time. Restaurants fail, grocery stores fail, gas stations fail. People pick the wrong stocks, they buy the wrong cars, and they marry the wrong spouses without turning to the Treasury for bailouts.

So what's special about banks? According to what I keep reading, it's that without banks, nobody can borrow, and the economy grinds to a halt.

Well, let's think about that. Banks don't lend their own money; they lend other people's (their depositors' and their stockholders'). Just because the banks disappear doesn't mean the lenders will. Borrowers will still want to borrow and lenders will still want to lend. The only question is whether they'll be able to find each other.

That's one reason I feel squeamish about the official pronouncements we've been getting. They tell us bank failures will make it hard to borrow but never that bank failures will make it hard to lend. But every borrower is paired with a lender, so it's odd to state the problem so asymmetrically. This makes me suspect that the official pronouncers have not entirely thought this thing through.

In the 1930s, a wave of bank failures did make it hard for borrowers and lenders to find each other, and the consequences were drastic. But times have changed in at least two relevant ways. First, the disaster of the 1930s was caused not just by bank failures, but by a 30% contraction of the money supply, which is something today's Fed can easily prevent. Second, as any user of match.com can tell you, the technology for finding partners has improved since then. When a firm wants to raise capital, why can't it just sell bonds over the web? Or issue new stock? Or approach one of the hedge funds that seem to be swimming in cash? Or borrow abroad?

Part of the reason capitalism works, a fundamental of capitalism, is that risks carry just that: risks. A business makes decisions and should factor the risks into the costs. There is potential for economic failure but also a potential for amazing success. Corporate greed helped to create a situation where players in the system started to ignore risk or treat it in a blase manner. Why should they get a bailout for their reckless decisions?

Thinking about a situation like the Great Depression makes me shudder. At least we didn't privatize social security though...goodness that would be a disaster.

If I had Only Known Republicans were Such Heathens

2008-09-08T23:26:00.002-05:00

Seriously, why did the Republicans wait so long to tell me that they were proud of adulterers, teenage sex queens, women who ride Harleys in short skirts, men who divorce their wives for someone years younger, hotter, and richer, and ....

I might have considered jumping parties as I always thought I was a little too much of a heathen to be a Republican. Not that I didn't always know they were a bunch of rich liars who cheat, scam, cajole, and screw everyone but the rich out of any oppurtinities. But now I know that far too many of the Republicans will burn in the hell they claim exists in the religion they push on others! What an election year!

Time for me to cheat on my girlfriend, impregnate a teenager, and get this hypocritical and never boring party on track!

Football Weekend

2008-09-07T22:57:00.001-05:00

Alright so both SMU and the Cowboys won this weekend! Awesome. And not did they just win but both teams looked great doing it. The only issue is that both teams were matched up against teams that were not really in the same league. So that means you have to look at the plays in the game where the opposition was especially good.

In those instances both teams looked strong. When the blitz was hitting Romo he performed. When he got hit hard and was a little hurt he wasn't shaken. Similarly, June Jones has put together a team that can roll with the punches and pull through. I'm excited about the season for both of these teams.

Lies of Drinking and Driving Billboards

2008-09-02T22:24:00.002-05:00

Grits for Breakfast posts about how the glut of those "drink. drive. go to jail" billboards contaminate jury pools. He correctly asserts that defense attorneys have long railed against such ridiculous ads. However, he is incorrect that it's a recent trend that we have hypothesized that it taints juries. I first posted about this in 2004 but made the argument that it contaminates jury pools in a post from 2005 where I stated "that lying about the law does a lot more to damage the jury system than most people think it does."

Perhaps I should resume posting more substantively to get back on the radar?

Wax On, Wax Off

2008-09-01T15:28:00.002-05:00

Apparently you shouldn't clean out earwax on a routine basis unless there is something actually wrong. I didn't know this but I can tell you that I've had a bad experience with a cotton swab falling off the rod into my ear. I had to go to a doctor to have it removed. Maybe I'll listen to these reports.

Travel Arrangements

2008-08-02T11:25:00.003-05:00

I am excited that I'm turning thirty at my next birthday. So about a half year ahead I already bought tickets to go to Vegas for about four days. My family and friends are going to be joining my to try to find some luck on the strip. I'm a little sad that most of the casinos have raised minimum bets on blackjack to at least 10 (lucky if you can find that) to $15. Guess I'll have to raise my minimum betting limits for the day.

Local Network News Sucks

2008-07-23T22:22:00.003-05:00

This example of local news anchors doing product placements with McDonald's frozen coffees is despicable. In this post it's a Fox news affiliate but I'm sure Fox isn't the only one who has latched onto the additional revenue.

Oh, and, there isn't even coffee in the cups. It's just like those fake desserts you see on the dessert carts at wannabe ritzy restaurants. It's as fake as the station is crappy.

I AM Here to Make Friends

2008-07-10T05:41:00.001-05:00

A friend emailed me this youtube video containing clips from all the reality shows I cloud my time watching.

Leaving No Trace

2008-06-30T23:37:00.002-05:00

Whenever I go out on the trails I'm dismayed with how little my fellow outdoor enthusiasts appreciate the outdoors. I see discarded water bottles, energy packets, and other waste that needn't be mentioned.

As the outdoors have become more popular a few guidelines should be shared to help keep the experience as it should be for all who are blessed by nature. Leave No Trace is a 40+ year old program conceived by the US forestry service.

Here are some guidelines along with a some of the tips:

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare.
Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces.
Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly.
Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter.

4. Leave What You Find.
Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts.
Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.

6. Respect Wildlife.
Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors.
Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.

The Cure

2008-06-13T10:57:00.001-05:00

On Monday I went to the Cure concert in Houston. It was awesome! They played some great songs from the 80s and 90s and a couple more recent songs. The best was that they didn't balk at playing their hearts out. They were on the stage for about 3 hours playing music. Very cool!

Bowling Gets a Strike

2008-05-23T13:25:00.002-05:00

I'm sure everyone is relieved to see the results of the bowling ball study conducted by the "Bowling Ball Specifications Task Force." Apparently it was formed after a flood of perfect 300 games compelled the United States Bowling Congress to impose restrictions on ball manufacturers which were scientifically unfounded.

The results: it's the roughness of a bowling ball that has the most impact on whether a ball is more likely to get a strike.

Isn't that akin the the idea in baseball that a roughed up ball can cause an advantage? I'm glad that bowlers can sleep a little better now that they know to get some sand paper ready.

Cold Camping

2008-05-14T22:15:00.002-05:00

I guess that I didn't know that they made sleeping bags that are rated for -40! I want one even though I know I'd never use it.

The Stars

2008-05-05T22:33:00.001-05:00

In the 4th Overtime, the Stars won the game and advanced to the Western Finals!

Handcoding It

2008-04-30T05:54:00.001-05:00

It's pretty cool that the NY Times still handcodes some of their more tricky html. I'd like to think that I can also handcode, but, alas, I just tweak the theme here a little which is hardly coding.

Out in West Texas

2008-04-11T06:35:00.001-05:00

I think that Trent Nelson is taking some of the most captivating photographs of what is happening in Eldorado, Texas. Have a look.

April Fools

2008-03-31T22:47:00.001-05:00

What april fools type jokes will be going on with the various news and tech sites today? Obviously, Google will have something to surprise us with. Who else?

Removing Ring

2008-03-27T21:46:00.003-05:00

I've been somewhat upset with TSA before learning about this but now I'm really upset. They made a woman remove her nipple rings, yet they didn't make me remove the prince albert? What gives?

UPDATE:

I call my Macbook Air prince albert.

No More Toasters on the Road

2008-03-11T22:09:00.002-05:00

I don't care if you want to waste untold amounts of money on gas every time you fill up. I care a little bit that you are so presumptious that you think it's only your concern that you're hurting the environment, air quality, global temperatures, etc more than other responsible car owners, but I cannot stand that you have such pathetic taste in aesthetics that you would purposely buy an ugly piece of crap like the H2.

Seriously, do the owners of the H2 have zero taste? It's pathetic that anyone would buy such a souless, unimaginative, crappy looking excuse for a design. You are driving an oversized toaster down the road, fool.

Thankfully GMC has decided not to put anymore of the eyesores on the road. Good riddance to bad taste.

Time to Travel

2008-03-05T23:05:00.001-06:00

This should be a pretty fun weekend. Tomorrow I'm going to head down to Seguin, Texas (just outside of San Antonio) to stay the night with a couple friends. Then we're heading north to Wichita, Kansas. It should be a good day on I-35. Friday evening I'll do the whole wedding rehearsal, dinner, and then drinking with friends. Saturday I'll be a groomsman in my best friend's wedding. Awesome.

Puzzled Addiction

2008-02-27T21:47:00.003-06:00

Addiction is a strange creature. For some people it is an inescapable curse, yet, for others, they cannot be caught by it. I'm pleased that scientists are trying to figure out why some people are more susceptible to addictions than others.

[C]ocaine users had reduced neural activity marked by reduced blood flow to the part of the brain involved in things like problem solving, decision making and controlling behavior.

Not surprisingly, this leads to a conclusion that groups like NA and AA have accepted for decades...

This research helps us move away from thinking of drug dependence as a moral weakness and allows us to see it as more of a medical condition.

Soldiers speaking out on the war

2008-02-21T22:04:00.002-06:00

Until my brother-in-law was relocated, he was stationed at Fort Hood, in Killeen, TX. I haven't heard any of his actual thoughts on the Iraq war (he's finished two tours), but I know he's proud of his purple heart. That said, there are more and more soldiers who are starting to speak out because the media is too weak to do it anymore.

The honest truth is that if the American people knew what was going on over there everyday, they would be raising their voices too. They would be saying, 'Hey, bring those guys home," Sgt. Selena Coppa said.

Check it out.

Say Cheese

2008-02-18T18:48:00.001-06:00

What kind of wine do you pair with human cheese? That is, cheese made from human breast milk...

mccain.i.am

2008-02-12T07:01:00.000-06:00

You'll forget all about that Obama song after you enjoy this one for John.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gwqEneBKUs

Lessig 4 Obama

2008-02-05T22:43:00.000-06:00

If you are interested, Lawrence Lessig has released a short video detailing why he thinks it's very important for Barack Obama to win the nomination.

Odd Definitions

2008-01-25T23:53:00.000-06:00

Michael Arrington has a strange understanding of a "long" held belief, if he thinks that two years is long. Shoot, I've thought Arrington has been boring and out of touch for at least two years, but I don't think that's a long time. Not compared to the majority of people anyhow.

Goth not allowed to bring his dog on bus

2008-01-22T22:07:00.000-06:00

Although the dog claims it's almost like a hate crime, I think it's good for those of us who are allergic to goths.

Confusing Logic

2008-01-21T13:54:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure why S. Cotus at Appellate Law & Practice turns his disagreement with Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Sharon Keller into an attack on SMU law school:

I can only assume that all SMU grads "think" like she does.

I went there and can certainly tell you that her "pro-prosecution" stance is not taught at SMU.

But the larger issue, in my mind, is why he would attribute that to SMU. He never shows any quotes from Judge Keller that would make one believe she claims she became pro-prosecution at SMU. Does he blame Harvard Law School every time Justice Scalia says something foolish?

Furthermore, why he asking for the dean of SMU to make a statement about this?

While I don’t have much hope that this will happen, I would like to see the dean of the law school, John B. Attanasio, explain whether it is appropriate for a judge sitting on a “Court of Criminal Appeals” to describe themselves as “pro-prosecution" and whether it tells its law students to declare that they are "pro-husband" if they plan on going to be family court judges.

Why would the Dean Attanasio care at all? Even assuming that SMU taught students to be pro-prosecution, which it doesn't, the current dean wasn't the dean when Judge Keller graduated from SMU.

Perhaps S. Cotus could better use his time arguing against elected judges in Texas. Keller ran on a platform of being pro-prosecution and won the election. Why someone would believe that she learned it at SMU simply boggles my mind.

Nintendo Halftime

2008-01-21T08:28:00.000-06:00

Berkeley's marching band played various themes from 1980s and 90s Nintendo video games. They also marched scenes from the games which included Tetris, Super Mario Bros, and Zelda.

Tons of Photos

2008-01-16T21:35:00.000-06:00

The Library of Congress has uploaded over 3000 of their photos on flickr. They range from the fantastic to the boring, but it's worth taking a look at what they have to offer.

OD on Meth? Why not sue your dealer?

2008-01-14T22:15:00.001-06:00

Sandra Bergen did it and won her lawsuit. She is currently waiting for the judge to determine what amount the damages should total.

Apparently this 23 year old Canadian had a heart attack and spent 11 days in a coma after taking crystal meth. She claimed that the dealer knew it was addictive and dangerous yet sold it to her for the purposes of making money and intentionally inflecting emotional and physical suffering. His defense was that it was voluntary. However, he lost when he refused to give up the name of his connection to the judge.

I'm not entirely sure why that would be enough to make him lose in a civil case. But I guess if you have got a source -- you've got a source.

Earning your degree from youtube

2008-01-13T21:47:00.000-06:00

It's true that on youtube, professors have become some of the newest rock stars. It is awesome to be able to load youtube and watch professors from Cal Tech, MIT, Berkeley, Stanford, Rice, etc discuss things you didn't think would be understandable.

Oh, and dorky, but they love old school Nickelodeon so I approve.

Finished Bandera 50K

2008-01-06T22:56:00.000-06:00

It might have been my slowest time ever on a 50K, but it wasn't my worst time. The course was much more difficult than any of the other races I have done, so I'll take my 7:27 with some pride. I was very bloated and dehydrated by the end as I didn't have enough sodium with my hydration. Lessons learned. Here I am finishing...

Article about the Wire

2008-01-01T20:47:00.000-06:00

As long-time readers of this blog know, I've tauted the Wire for at least three years. It makes me happy when I see magazines such as The Atlantic discussing how it is one of the best shows in the world. It might be 4 seasons behind the mark but the accolades are appreciated anyhow.

2007 -- A Year in Music

2007-12-30T10:47:00.000-06:00

I think that this was a pretty good year in music with a lot of fun music coming through. It was exciting because of a lot of international styles of music coming into the picture. I'm going to run down some of my favorites and some of my least favorites from the year.

Biggest Surprise of the Year:

Flight of the Conchords. This was my favorite surprise of the year -- hands down. I love both the television show and the album. Not only are the lyrics fresh and funny but the music is good folk songs. Recently they went back to New Zealand to write some more music.

Biggest Let Down of the Year:

White Stripes. I liked their songs when they were first making it but I haven't heard anything as cool as Fell In Love with a Girl or anything like that. The lyrics and the songs just aren't what they used to be. At this point, I would rather pick up a Led Zepplin album than play this cd. I guess that they are more of a live band.

Top Ten Records:

10. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver. This band does a fabulous job of making great rock by borrowing from electronica. Songs like North American Scum show their often hilarious songwriting skills.

9. Panda Bear - Person Pitch. Their music is akin to the experience I get looking at a Van Goth painting. It's vibrant, ethereal and explosive all at once. The song Bros is one of my favorites of the year.

8. Iron & Wine - The Shepard's Dog Sam Beam makes some amazingly simple music that is so complex with the delivery. It helps that he has the assistance of a few able-bodied members of Calexico. The lyrics are something else and will keep you coming back for more.

7. M.I.A. - Kala. This is the best rap album of the year without a doubt. It helps that Maya, an anglo-Sri Lankan doesn't rap in conventional ways and uses beats from DJ collaborators around the world. It also helps that she has grown up and matured a lot since her last album. Paper Planes features gunshots and cash registers as a part of the beat.

6. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black. Maybe what I find annoying about her public life is what allows her to make such great sultry music. Her agony comes through in her deep lows and sultry note twists as her voice melts the lyrics together into a real treat. The Dap-Kings back her up with an impressive bed of music to match her voice.

5. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky. I don't know if I could omit Wilco from any of my top ten lists in years they release albums. Some people might have wanted a little more alt country rock out of Wilco, but I'm glad they softened it a little. This is an album you can put on in the background and not be embarrassed when you start to listen closely to it because it's great either way.

4. Over the Rhine - The Trumpet Child. This is probably one of the best albums Over the Rhine has put out in their already impressive catalog of music. I'm a little sad that they don't receive more accolades than they do because they are a band that deserves it. This is one of their happier albums and they do it with style and grace.

3. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible I don't think this album was as good as Funeral but it's very impressive. As Sasha Frere-Jones (of the New Yorker) says there is little about this band that is not big. The single, "Keep the Car Running" begins with a charging D chord and continues with tall lyrics. All of it comes to what could lead the charge up a hill but they just stop. This was a surprise as this band is known for their brilliant crescendos. It's worth listening to all the surprises this band brings.

2. The New Pornographers - Challengers. This is the best album the New Pornographers have made. They bring together their music into this tight, cohesive sound that was missing before. I enjoy how melodic this band is.

1. Radiohead - In Rainbows. It's not because of their marketing campaign that I select this album but because it's beautiful and brilliant. I like most of their music, but I haven't loved one of their albums since the Bends and OK Computer. To me, this album was a return to the sound I love in Radiohead. Instead of burying themselves in their inspired wall of sounds, they flow in and out of the sound and make something that is at times breathtaking.

Other Places to See:

You should check out the various lists on the internet if you want to see what others think. A few good ones, you can find some good stuff at NPR All Songs Considered, The AV Club has their very useful least essential albums of the year list, and Pitchfork Media has their way too large top 50 albums of the year list.

Photo Published

2007-12-23T15:58:00.000-06:00

I was contacted by a little publishing company about a photo they found on my flickr account. I had already granted permission from my creative commons license, but they were nice enough to ask if I wanted my photo considered for inclusion. I said it was fine and they ultimately selected it. It's the photo for the NYNY Espn Zone seen here.

Better than Heroes?

2007-12-19T22:13:00.000-06:00

I love The 4400 but it's finished. USA Network decided that it would not renew this popular, as far as sci-fi goes, show for another season. I personally think it has characters with more interesting superpowers than the characters in Heroes. It's a little more entertaining. It's sad that it's been canceled.

Knowing Better in Devil's Triangle

2007-12-18T22:40:00.000-06:00

If you are doing your trick or treating in an area of El Paso, Texas, called "Devil's Triangle", I think it's an assumption of the risk that your candy will be stolen by bat wielding punks. I'm just saying...

Local Oral Arguments

2007-12-13T22:00:00.000-06:00

I went to watch the oral arguments being held at the 9th Court of Appeals in Texas today. It was to watch a case that directly relates to my role at the public defender's office where I work, however, I got to catch an unrelated appellate argument.

I was mesmerized by how talented the Appellant's attorney in Fluor v. . I knew that her last name was Yeates, so I just had to look up a little more about her. It's not surprising that she heads up the civil appeals division at Vinson & Elkins in Houston. The stakes in this case were a $100 million verdict! Seriously...

She was awesome to watch. I think that the justices agreed.

Vegas then and now...

2007-12-11T21:44:00.000-06:00

MSNBC has a little photo article about Vegas then and now. Check out the photos from the mobster era compared to now.

Amazon.com Replies

2007-12-11T21:42:00.000-06:00

Amazon.com seems to do a very good job at providing witty comebacks to goofy emails. Check this one out.

Gifts that make a difference

2007-11-28T21:47:00.000-06:00

If you want to give something that'll make a difference for a year why not give a gift of a school or a gift of building lives in the rainforests.

Music in the Air

2007-11-19T17:47:00.000-06:00

It's about time...Apple is finally offering iTunes music over wifi. This is currently only available on the Apple iPhone, however, I anticipate they will soon offer it on the iPod Touch as it also has wifi capabilities.

Support

2007-11-15T17:16:00.000-06:00

I support the writers. That clip features one of the writers from the daily show discussing the absurdity of the studio/production companies saying that online content is worthless while also suing youtube for $1 billion.

Restaurant Tip Fraud

2007-11-15T16:57:00.000-06:00

I admit that I'm not diligent in checking my receipts to what I'm charged with my credit card. I know that it's wise to check but I don't like to keep those receipts around and wait to check. It's too much work for me, so I don't do it. Does this mean I'm getting ripped off? Possibly... I just needed a smart, easy way to check and along comes a good way.

Boing Boing (referencing another blog) points out that you can use a checksum method. Say you buy a meal for 10.00 at your local restaurant and you want to leave them a 2 dollar tip (20%). You could leave them 12.00 which you can't really check without the receipt. Or you could leave them 12.03 which is easy to check. All you've got to do is add the dollar sums together and add that number to the cents:

1+2=3. Put that three in the cents column and you'll know if you've been cheated.

Now if you have a really expensive meal then I would advice just adding the last two dollar numbers. For instance, say you bought a meal for a group of friends for 150.00. You want to leave 30.00 for a tip. It'll be 180.00 total. Put it as 180.08 as the total:

180 becomes 8+0=8.

That sounds good to me.

2007 NFL Regular Season Week 10

2007-11-11T11:23:00.000-06:00

Below are my predictions for this week in NFL football. Week nine I went 8 for 14 (57%). This gives me a grand total of 83 for 129 (64%). Here are my predictions this week.

SUN, NOV 11
Cleveland at Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh
Philadelphia at Washington: ~~Washington~~
Atlanta at Carolina: ~~Carolina~~
St. Louis at New Orleans: ~~New Orleans~~
Buffalo at Miami: ~~Miami~~
Denver at Kansas City: KC
Jacksonville at Tennessee: Jacksonville
Minnesota at Green Bay: Green Bay
Cincinnati at Baltimore: ~~Baltimore~~
Dallas at NY Giants: Dallas
Detroit at Arizona: Arizona
Chicago at Oakland: Chicago
Indianapolis at San Diego: ~~Indy~~

MON, NOV 12
San Francisco at Seattle: Seattle
· Bye: New England, NY Jets, Tampa Bay, Houston

2007 NFL Regular Season Week 9

2007-11-04T11:02:00.000-06:00

Below are my predictions for this week in NFL football. Week eight I went 9 for 13 (69%). This gives me a grand total of 75 for 115 (65%). Here are my predictions this week.

SUN, NOV 4
Cincinnati at Buffalo: Buffalo
San Francisco at Atlanta: Atlanta
Denver at Detroit: ~~Denver~~
Carolina at Tennessee: ~~Carolina~~
San Diego at Minnesota: ~~San Diego~~
Jacksonville at New Orleans: New Orleans
Washington at NY Jets: Washington
Arizona at Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay
Green Bay at Kansas City: KC
Seattle at Cleveland: Cleveland
Houston at Oakland: Houston
New England at Indianapolis: ~~Indianapolis~~
Dallas at Philadelphia: Dallas

MON, NOV 5
Baltimore at Pittsburgh: ~~Baltimore~~
· Bye: Chicago, St. Louis, Miami, NY Giants

2007 Rocky Raccoon 50K

2007-11-03T17:22:00.000-05:00

Earlier today, I ran and finished the Rocky Raccoon 50K in Huntsville, Texas. My time was a new PR of 5:57.26 (unofficial time). It was a lot of fun and I'm thankfully not very sore. If you want to see more, I have some more pictures if you click that picture.

TAR

2007-11-02T19:20:00.000-05:00

I can't wait for the premiere of the Amazing Race this weekend. There are no longer non-elimination rounds, but I'm still happy!

Car Talk Guys say 35 MPG should be required

2007-10-30T23:39:00.000-05:00

Apparently the brothers who host NPR's Car Talk wrote a five page letter to the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming in the US House of Reps to let them know that 35 MPG should be the automotive industry standard. They point out the numerous lies that have come from the automotive industry regarding how higher fuel standards will hurt their businesses. Read more.

2007 NFL Regular Season Week 8

2007-10-28T12:02:00.000-05:00

Below are my predictions for this week in NFL football. Week seven I went 8 for 14 (57%). This gives me a grand total of 66 for 102 (65%). Here are my predictions this week.

SUN, OCT 28
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati: ~~Cincinnati~~
Oakland at Tennessee: Tennessee
Cleveland at St. Louis: Cleveland
NY Giants at Miami: NY Giants
Philadelphia at Minnesota: Philly
Indianapolis at Carolina: Indy
Detroit at Chicago: ~~Chicago~~
Buffalo at NY Jets: Buffalo
Houston at San Diego: San Diego
Jacksonville at Tampa Bay: ~~Tampa Bay~~
New Orleans at San Francisco: New Orleans
Washington at New England: New England

MON, OCT 29
Green Bay at Denver: ~~Denver~~
· Bye: Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas City, Arizona, Seattle, Baltimore

The Reason for Running Ultramarathons

2007-10-24T22:02:00.000-05:00

People at work often question why I run 40 or so miles a week. They wonder why I go to 25K races for fun. Why I struggle through 50K races. And why I'm going to try for over 100 miles in a 24 hour run. The answer is really simple. Tex-mex.

Dumbledore Stonewalled

2007-10-23T06:40:00.000-05:00

I'm sure everyone who cares about the Harry Potter series has heard that J.K. Rowlings said she always thought Dumbledore was gay. Now you can buy a tshirt to show your Dumbledore pride. The shirts say "Wizards are Gay" and "I always knew". (Via Boing Boing)

2007 NFL Regular Season Week 7

2007-10-20T10:33:00.000-05:00

Below are my predictions for this week in NFL football. Week six I went 8 for 13 (62%). This gives me a grand total of 58 for 88 (66%). Here are my predictions this week.

SUN, OCT 21
Tennessee at Houston: ~~Houston~~
Baltimore at Buffalo: ~~Baltimore~~
Tampa Bay at Detroit: ~~Tampa Bay~~
Arizona at Washington: Washington
San Francisco at NY Giants: ~~San Francisco~~
Atlanta at New Orleans: New Orleans
New England at Miami: New England
Kansas City at Oakland: ~~Oakland~~
NY Jets at Cincinnati: Cincinnati
Minnesota at Dallas: Dallas
Chicago at Philadelphia: ~~Philly~~
St. Louis at Seattle: Seattle
Pittsburgh at Denver: Denver

MON, OCT 22
Indianapolis at Jacksonville: Indy
· Bye: Cleveland, Green Bay, San Diego, Carolina

The System is Cracked

2007-10-18T21:59:00.000-05:00

It's true that the sentencing for crimes across the United States and in the federal system is really screwed up. It's not just examples of people serving more time for possession of a drug, like crack, than if they were convicted of manslaughter. It is also rights of fundamental fairness being surrogated from many people.

2007 NFL Regular Season Week 6

2007-10-14T11:23:00.000-05:00

Below are my predictions for this week in NFL football. Week five I went 10 for 14 (71%). This gives me a grand total of 50 for 75 (67%). Here are my predictions this week.

Sunday, Oct. 14

Minnesota at Chicago: ~~Chicago~~
Miami at Cleveland: Cleveland
Washington at Green Bay: Green Bay
Cincinnati at Kansas City: KC
Tennessee at Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay
St. Louis at Baltimore: ~~St. Louis~~
Houston at Jacksonville: ~~Houston~~
Philadelphia at NY Jets: ~~NY Jets~~
Carolina at Arizona: Carolina
Oakland at San Diego: San Diego
New England at Dallas: ~~Dallas~~
New Orleans at Seattle: New Orleans

MON, OCT 15
NY Giants at Atlanta: NY Giants

Pay What You Want

2007-10-11T07:03:00.000-05:00

Radiohead asked me to pay what I wanted for their new album, In Rainbows, and I did. I paid them a little over 8 dollars to download the entire album -- 10 tracks. I think that's a fair price for a band I really like.

I also think it's fantastic that they have ditched the label and are doing this on their own. I hope people will find their music this way by paying a little if they just want to test it out. I hope that their fans will pay a fair price.

Is this the most important release for music of our day? Probably in terms of what the success could do to the record industry. Since this announcement, we have seen the likes of Nine Inch Nails and Madonna leave their labels to go it free also.

I'm also happy because digital downloads are a better way to serve music. It's easier for me because I don't have to worry about where to store a disc I will never use. It's easier on the environment because we don't have to make a plastic disc and a plastic jewel case. It's just a better model.

Crocodile Tears

2007-10-10T22:18:00.000-05:00

It's true, crocodiles do shed tears. Apparently it has been difficult to figure out that they shed tears while eating because it's nearly impossible to convince a crocodile to eat it's food at the table.

Who would have guessed?

Rules of Customer Service

2007-10-09T22:06:00.000-05:00

I only worked behind a retail counter for a couple years, but I don't recall learning that you should hit someone over the head with a crowbar if they refuse to speak to you. We did, however, learn to hit deaf people over the head with a crowbar regardless of their conduct.

2007 NFL Regular Season Week 5

2007-10-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

Today and tomorrow should be a good day for games. Week four I went 10 for 13 (77%). This gives me a grand total of 40 for 61 (66%). Here are my predictions this week.

SUN, OCT 7
Miami at Houston: Houston
Atlanta at Tennessee: Tennessee
Jacksonville at Kansas City: KC
NY Jets at NY Giants: Giants
Carolina at New Orleans: ~~New Orleans~~
Arizona at St. Louis: Arizona
Cleveland at New England: New England
Seattle at Pittsburgh: ~~Seattle~~
Detroit at Washington: Washington
Tampa Bay at Indianapolis: Indy
San Diego at Denver: ~~Denver~~
Baltimore at San Francisco: Baltimore
Chicago at Green Bay: Chicago

MON, OCT 8
Dallas at Buffalo: Dallas

Be Prepared

2007-10-05T16:47:00.000-05:00

If you're going to present an oral argument for the US Supreme Court it helps to anticipate a wide array of questions and have a good response.

JUSTICE SOUTER: [G]oing back to my question, do you know any people who go around saying, well, you know, I really prefer the Democrats; I'm a Republican myself? I mean, that doesn't happen.

MR. MCKENNA: Well, the example of Senator Lieberman comes to mind, where he said I really prefer the Democrats and I'm running as an independent.

(Laughter)

JUSTICE SOUTER: There's always one.

I will give you bonus points if you include a little wit in your answers. Via Is That Legal.

To Die For

2007-09-28T21:59:00.000-05:00

There is a good chance that I'll be going to this film fest and seeing eight horror movies in one weekend. That'll be tops.

2007 NFL Regular Season Week 4

2007-09-28T10:50:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow should be a good day for games. Week three I went 10 for 16 (63%). Here are my predictions this week.

SUN, SEP 30
Green Bay v. Minnesota: ~~Minnesota~~
Oakland v. Miami: ~~Miami~~
Buffalo v. NY Jets: ~~Jets~~
Atlanta v. Houston: Atlanta
Detroit v. Chicago: ~~Chicago~~
Cleveland v. Baltimore: Cleveland
Dallas v. St. Louis: Dallas
Tampa Bay v. Carolina Tampa Bay
Seattle v. San Francisco: Seattle
Kansas City v. San Diego: KC
Arizona v. Pittsburgh: Arizona
Indianapolis v. Denver: Indy
NY Giants v. Philadelphia: Giants

MON, OCT 1
New England v. Cincinnati: NE

Fun with Jeopardy

2007-09-25T21:50:00.000-05:00

Ken Jennings is famous for his collective ass-kicking he did on Jeopardy. He writes some cool stuff at his blog. He links to this video made by Tim, who he considers to be his most difficult opponent. It's only about 9 minutes and it's annotated with some cool things about Tim's strategy.

Don't go to law school

2007-09-24T20:35:00.000-05:00

The Wall Street Journal has published an article that says what every college aged sophomore or junior should really pay attention to -- the legal market isn't that great. Let's face it, the market for attorneys dried up about 10 years ago and recent grads have had a very difficult time to find the crevices to sneak into. Even those attorney who attended elite law schools (typically the top 10-15 in the rankings) have had to work to get jobs.

The only good advice is to only go to law school if you truly want to be a lawyer. Don't got for any other reason (e.g. money, prestige, to please family) because those reasons probably won't pan out.

2007 NFL Regular Season Week 3

2007-09-23T00:19:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow should be a good day for games. Week two I went 11 for 16 (69%). Here are my predictions this week.

SUN, SEP 23
Buffalo at New England: New England
Miami at NY Jets: ~~Miami~~
Detroit at Philadelphia: ~~Detroit~~
San Francisco at Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh
San Diego at Green Bay: ~~San Diego~~
Minnesota at Kansas City: KC
St. Louis at Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay
Arizona at Baltimore: Baltimore
Indianapolis at Houston: Indianapolis
Cleveland at Oakland: Oakland
Cincinnati at Seattle: ~~Cincinnati~~
Jacksonville at Denver: ~~Denver~~
Carolina at Atlanta: Carolina
NY Giants at Washington: NY Giants
Dallas at Chicago: Dallas

MON, SEP 24
Tennessee at New Orleans: ~~New Orleans~~

Death Penalty on hold in Tennessee

2007-09-20T01:01:00.000-05:00

A federal court judge in Tennessee has ruled that Tennessee's new procedure for lethal injection is cruel and unusual punishment. The reason is that the new procedure doesn't ensure that a person is properly anesthetized. I think it's enough that they are lethally injecting someone to count as cruel and unusual punishment, but I can be content with her reason in this case.

Pay attention in art history

2007-09-19T07:09:00.000-05:00

You were warned to not fall asleep in your modern art history course. Of course, you didn't pay attention, and now you're being sued for $7 million because you sold a fake Basquiat.

2007 NFL Regular Season Week 2

2007-09-16T09:32:00.000-05:00

Last week I got 9 out of 16 correct. This week might be a little better...

SUN, SEP 16
Buffalo at Pittsburgh: Pitt
Houston at Carolina: ~~Carolina~~
Atlanta at Jacksonville: Jacksonville
New Orleans at Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay
Green Bay at NY Giants: ~~Giants~~
San Francisco at St. Louis: San Francisco
Cincinnati at Cleveland: ~~Cincinnati~~
Indianapolis at Tennessee: Indianapolis
Minnesota at Detroit: Detroit
Dallas at Miami: Dallas
Seattle at Arizona: Arizona
NY Jets at Baltimore: ~~NY Jets~~
Oakland at Denver: Denver
Kansas City at Chicago: Chicago
San Diego at New England: New England
MON, SEP 17
Washington at Philadelphia: ~~Philly~~

2007 NFL Regular Season Week 1

2007-09-05T21:41:00.000-05:00

It's time for my predictions each week for this NFL season. I didn't post them on here for the past couple years, but I'm ready to go for it again. This is just what I have predicted at Yahoo! Fantasy Sports so I'm hoping that I'll win some bragging rights there. If you want to play along, go ahead and comment or post at your blog.

Thursday, September 06

NO @ IND: Indiana

Sunday, September 09

PHI @ GB: ~~Philly~~
ATL @ MIN: Minnesota
MIA @ WAS: ~~Miami~~
NE @ NYJ: New England
TEN @ JAC: Tennessee
DEN @ BUF: Denver
PIT @ CLE: ~~Cleveland~~
CAR @ STL: Carolina
KC @ HOU: KC
TB @ SEA: Seattle
CHI @ SD: ~~Chicago~~
DET @ OAK: ~~Oakland~~
NYG @ DAL: Dallas

Monday, September 10

BAL @ CIN: Cincinnati
ARI @ SF: ~~Arizona~~